Sunday, January 30, 2011

Very happy to report that as promised I hopped back on the horse..er...treadmill yesterday, logged 12,533 steps, equivalent of almost 6 miles. 30 solid minutes on the treadmill at an average of 4.0 mph, burned 200 calories. Yippee! It felt fantastic to get my slacker buns moving again!

Today will be more of the same, also plan to spend some time outdoors as the weather here is gorgeous! But first, Beren and I have to run to Wal-Mart. It seems that the tv I've been using in my "Mom Cave" doesn't have mounting brackets and My Man would rather buy me a new tv than attempt to build a shelf for it. He already spent $$$ on the brackets and thinks it would look much more stylish than anything he could throw together. Believe me, I'm not complaining; we've been working on that room for so long, I really want to get it done and start enjoying it already! I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as it's finished, hopefully this week. *crossing fingers*

Saturday, January 29, 2011

After small but steady losses, even through the holidays, this week's weigh-in was a disappointment: No change. Even though it's that time-of-the-month and I'm sure there was some water weight involved, I was disappointed. After all, I'm only 2 freakin' ounces away from my 20-pound-lost goal! Come on, already!

I know that I can't blame the scale, so I did some honest thinking about what went "wrong" this week and it didn't take long to figure it out: I slacked on my exercise, and wasn't drinking enough water. Oh, and I threw in a couple of extra 100-calorie snacks to feed the ferocious PMS monster, am sure that didn't help the situation. After a stressful day at work, it was much easier to come home, curl up with a book, and just relax. It may have felt good at the time, but it wasn't good for my weight loss or even my mental health in the long run.

So, this week I need to get my butt back on the treadmill, faithfully track all of my food on Sparkpeople, and stay 100% on program. I'm halfway to goal, now is not the time to start slacking!

Here's today's plan:

And in addition to Saturday house-cleaning and errand-running, I am going to log some exercise time on the treadmill. No excuses!

You may find yourself wanting to make purchases today to satisfy an inner craving. It’s important that you don’t judge yourself for having such a desire. Instead, you may want to take this an opportunity to go inward and find out what it is that you truly need. Rather than ignoring your feelings by finding short-term gratification, consider how you can truly satisfy yourself. Give yourself permission to fulfill your genuine craving. Remember that it is up to us to give ourselves what we need. While buying something today might make us feel good momentarily, it isn’t always the best solution. Then again, perhaps making a purchase is exactly what you need to do for yourself today. If that is the case, then give yourself permission to do so.

When we honor our needs and give ourselves permission to fulfill them, we no longer have to look outside of ourselves for fulfillment. From the time we are children, many of us are taught that giving to ourselves is selfish and self-centered. We may even repress our true needs. In our attempt to deny our genuine need for love and attention, we may fulfill ourselves in unhealthy ways. We may make purchases and feel guilty about them afterward, instead of understanding that we deserve to buy nice things for ourselves. We may eat more than we really want to because we don’t want to admit to ourselves that we deserve to be loved. Giving to ourselves is a loving act that is essential to our well-being. Feel guilt-free and deserving as you give to yourself today, and you will find yourself feeling sated.

Oooh, does this mean I have permission to go shoe shopping?!! Seriously, my horoscope resonated with me today, made the do a little thinking about guilt and self-love (or lack of it) and how often we turn to food to fill voids when perhaps it's not food we're craving after all.

You all know that I'm big on rewarding myself, especially for weight loss. I treat myself to something small every week on weigh-in day, no matter how much I've lost, and I don't feel a bit guilty about it. After all, I'm working my proverbial butt off to lose weight, weighing and measuring and planning, hopping on the treadmill, walking around the block, etc. etc, don't I deserve kudos for all of that hard work? Sure I do, and you do, too!

So today I'm going to take myself shopping, maybe without leaving the house. I might just sit here in my Mu-mu slippers and satin gown, surf the internet until I find something that catches my fancy. Maybe a new workout outfit, or an exercise dvd to keep me motivated. Or perhaps something fun & fluffy - a sexy nightie to show off my new curves? (You all know which option Beren's voting for!) Or how about some new tunes for my workout playlist? Or, I just might hop in the car and head to the flea market, see what vintage treasure awaits me there, stop at the farmers market on the way home for fresh fruit & veggies. Either way, I'll be treating my inner pin-up to something lovely today, how about you?

Saturday, January 22, 2011

As anticipated, the past week was super-busy at work and then I started a couple of home improvement projects so things were shakin' around the Castle as well. I didn't have a whole lotta time to cook so this was one week I appreciated having those little boxes of Jenny Cuisine lining my freezer!

Today, however, I have the urge to spend some time in the kitchen. Since it's chilly outside, a nice pot of chili sounds just perfect. Beren will be having the Retro Recipe Redux version I posted here last year..

Saturday, January 15, 2011

After giving it some thought, I've decided to move the 30 Days of Photos game over to my other blog where it seems more appropriate. So, if you're interested, you can find it at Rapunzel's Castle.

Since it's still a bit chilly here (thank goodness!), I'm going to make another pot of soup. This one from Jenny Craig looks really tasty and can easily be made vegetarian by using Boca Italian Sausages and vegetable broth instead of the meaty ingredients.

Cook turkey sausage in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain; wipe drippings from pan with a paper towel.

Return sausage to pan, and add tomato and next 4 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 5 minutes. Add macaroni; cover and cook 10 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

Friday, January 14, 2011

* Mojo (African American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo * a slang word for self-confidence, self-esteem or sex appeal

Adorable little Polar's Mom summed it up so perfectly in her comment of my last post: I seem to have lost my Mojo! I'm not sure where it went but I am sure I'll find it zippity quick and be back to my usual sassy self in no time flat!

I had my Jenny consult this morning and it was no surprise that I didn't lose, but I had expected a gain and was quite pleased when Alice announced, "you maintained." Music to my ears after the tough week I had. I did a bit of soul searching and think I figured out what I did "wrong" last week.

As you know, I met my halfway goal which meant I could start incorporating some Meals on my Own (MOMO) and Days on my Own (DOMO) into my plan. I was so excited about cooking not only for my family but also for myself, but unfortunately I hadn't really gotten the portion thing under control and my own food triggered some eating patterns in me that I haven't experienced since Jenny. I felt off track, out of control, and just plain not happy.

Looking back, I realize a couple of things I did that didn't work for me. First, I decided to do both DOMO over the weekend. Bad idea. The weekends are already less structured and adding the confusion of Exchanges, etc. just threw me for a loop. Also, having never really done MOMO before now, at least not officially, two days on my own in a row was too much.

So, this week I have it planned differently. Instead of DOMO, I'm doing a couple of MOMO. I bought 5 days worth of food this week and will integrate those with my own meals and see how that goes. I have a Jenny cookbook and plan to make a couple of my family's meals from there, portioning out the proper amounts and serving them restaurant-style. Any leftovers will be measured out into individual containers and either refrigerated or frozen, my own little Jenny Cuisine boxes. (Thank you, Catherine, for this great idea!)

Also, I need to get back on track with my exercise so I added a couple of new playlists to my i-pod and am gonna hit the road this evening. Sorry, Loki, you'll need to stay home, Mama needs some time to herself!

Now, here's some TGIF fun for you. This "game" is floating around blogland, I found it on Fat, Angry Blog as well as other places, thought I'd try it here myself....

30 days of photos - Day 1

1. A picture of yourself and 15 facts:

1. I am 46 years old 2. I am a Leo (and even if the new zodiac had altered that, I'm not buying it) 3. I was a preemie, born 3 weeks early, weighed in at 4 pounds 12 ounces. 4. Kali, my first daughter weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces. She was 6 days late. 5. My parents were divorced before I was born (don't ask) and my mom remarried (a couple of times) so I now have a big ol' blended family! 6. I have 3 daughters from 2 different husbands but am now happily shacking up sans the legal stuff 7. I reconnected with my high school sweetheart after Divorce #2. We've been living together in non-marital bliss ever since (see above) 8. I love to cook but I refuse to believe that has anything to do with me gaining weight. Cooking didn't get me fat, eating did! 9. I love animals of all kinds. Especially cats. And wolves. (Loki made me add that) 10. I love to read and am starstuck by authors much more so than actors. 11. My mother died of lung cancer on February 4, 2009. It's not a happy fact but it is very much a part of who I am. (if you're a smoker, rest assured I'm gonna nag you go quit). 12. I love the color red. Big time. 13. I guess it goes without saying that I adore pin-ups. 14. I wear heels whenever possible, the higher the better, flats only when necessary and sneakers only when exercising. Otherwise, I'm barefoot. 15. When I was a little girl my mom forced me to have a pixie cut. It was not flattering. I eventually forgave her but in rebellion I grew my hair long..and longer..and still longer. I've recently cut it to a more manageable length more suited to an..ahem..woman of my age but you'll never see it shorter than it is right now. Rapunzel forever!

Still to come:

2. A picture of you and person you’ve been the closest with the longest

3. A picture of the cast of your favourite show

4. A picture of your night

5. A picture of your favorite memory

6. A picture of a person you’d love to trade places with for a day

7. A picture of most treasured item

8. A picture that makes you laugh

9. A picture of a person who has gotten you through the most

10. A picture of the person you do the most fucked up things with

11. A picture of something you hate

12. A picture of something you love

13. A picture of your favourite band or artist

14. A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

15. A picture of something you want to do before you die

16. A picture of someone who inspires you

17. A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

18. A picture of your biggest insecurity

19. A picture of you when you were little

20. A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel

21. A picture of something you wish you could forget

22. A picture of something you wish you were better at

23. A picture of your favorite book

24. A picture of something you wish you could change

25. A picture of your day

26. A picture of something that means a lot to you

27. A picture of yourself and a family member

28. A picture of something your afraid of

29. A picture that can always make you smile

30. A picture of someone you miss

So, doesn't that sound like fun? You may end up knowing much more about me than you ever thought you would..or cared to. *wink*

Thursday, January 13, 2011

I've been feeling rather frustrated and annoyed the past couple of days but haven't been able to pinpoint exactly why. I've misplaced my motivation and my direction, just want to sit on the couch with a bowl full of popcorn and watch old movies all day. I've managed to take a couple of walks this week but even those were frustrating thanks to intrusive neighbors and an uncooperative walking companion (yes, Loki, I'm talking about you!). I think I need some alone time, just me, my i-pod and the dark of night. Maybe my mind as well as my body need the cobwebs dusted out.

Today's Daily Om made for interesting reading, something to ponder while I hit the pavement tonight..January 13, 2011Removing ObstructionsAllowing Our Light To Shine

When we don’t feel ourselves shining, we can tune inward to find the block that prevents us from shining our light.

There are times when we may not feel at our best and brightest. At those times we can take a look at what we might do to let our inner light shine to the fullest. Because we are physical, mental and spiritual beings, we need to determine where our spiritual light is being filtered or blocked. We can work from the outside inward, knowing that we are the only ones with the power to dim our lights, and as we clear away the layers we can get out of our own way to feel the warmth of our own light shining again.

As vehicles for our mind and spirit, our bodies require proper maintenance. Caring for ourselves is like polishing--helping to clear away the accumulation of physical debris that keeps us from operating at our fullest capacity. A simple shift in our thoughts can positively affect our mental state, moving from complaints to gratitude and applying the powerful light of love to any shadowy thoughts. A change of scenery can allow us to see the world in new ways too.

Once we are free of our restrictions, we can become still and connect to the power at the center of our being. It is always there for us, but when we forget to connect, or siphon our power in too many directions, we cannot make the most of our energy. Starting from the inside out may direct us to take the right steps for our journeys back to the light, but sometimes it can be difficult to find the stillness if our bodies and minds are in the way. As we practice steps to keep our energy flowing freely and without obstruction, we shine our light brightly, illuminating our own paths and making the world around us glow as well.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Happy Monday! It's sure to be a busy week at the office so I spent the weekend cleaning, doing laundry,shopping and planning for the week's meals. Surely I burned off a bunch of calories just reaching the bottom of my ironing basket, right? (Don't feel too badly for me, I actually enjoy ironing!)

As I mentioned before, I will be making liberal use of my slowcooker during the next couple of months. I've already mixed up tonight's dinner and have it ready to put in the slow cooker before I head out the door. I'll be having my JC Meatloaf so thought it would be nice to serve Beren a similar meal.

About 30 minutes before cooking is complete, place remaining 1/4 cup tomato sauce in a small bowl and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmean cheese and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Pour tomato sauce mixture over meatloaf; cover and continue to cook another 30 minutes.

Carefully lift meatloaf out of slow cooker using foil cradle and place on a cutting board. Using two long offset spatulas, carefully lift meatloaf off of foil and place on serving dish. Discard foil and any liquid and serve immediately.

Friday, January 7, 2011

As I'd hoped, I reached halfway-to-goal at my weigh-in yesterday, whoo-hoo! 19 (official) pounds down, 19 more to meet my original Jenny Craig goal (though I'm probably going to lose more, more about that later). Jenny rewarded me for reaching the halfway point by giving me $50 credit toward this week's food. Yay! Also, this milestone means that I will now start weaning off the Jenny Cuisine and onto my own food. I'll be eating JC five days a week, 2 days on my own. Double yay! Don't get me wrong, the food is really, really good, but 13 weeks of anything can get boring. And, you all know how much I love to cook so I am really looking forward to getting back into the kitchen, cooking and eating my own food.

Now, the way the diet works is by using Exchanges, similar to the old Weight Watchers system I used back in the 1990's. Honestly, I found that program much healthier and more effective and I'm familiar with it so this should be relatively easy. I'm on the 1,200 calorie plan and I get 5 Starches, unlimited (non-starchy)Vegetables, 2 Fruits, 5 Meat/Meat Substitutes, 3 Milks and 2 Fats. Of course there's an Exchange List in the JC literature which I'll be referring to frequently until I get the hang of this.

Since the weather here has turned chilly again, I think a nice pot of soup is in order, don't you? Beren found me an older Jenny Craig cookbook at the thrift store & I spent some time browsing through it this morning, found a yummy-sounding Vegetable-Beef Soup recipe that will be a perfect dinner tonight. I'm pleased to see that the recipe uses only 1/2 pound of meat for 10 cups of soup! I'm sure you could even eliminate the meat, making it vegetarian, which is what I'd do if I didn't intend to share this meal with my meat-lovin' man! *wink* I'll probably serve it with some type of whole-grain (80 calorie) bread and a big green salad.

Trim fat from steak; cut steak into 1-inch pieces. Coat a Dutch oven with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add steak; cook until browned on all sides, stirring often. Remove steak from Dutch oven and set aside.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

We returned from Ormond Monday morning, went into the office at lunchtime and was launched immediately into our busy season. Yep, it's Tax Season, folks, and all that that implies. I'll be working longer hours which means I'll have to be very organized in order to keep up with my diet/exercise routine as well as tending to hearth & home. This is when my crockpot takes up permanent residence on my countertop, can't beat the ease & convenience! Who doesn't love walking through the door after a long day of work and being greeted with the scent of dinner, already cooked?! So, be prepared for some tasty slow cooker recipes, especially if I meet my halfway point at Jenny this morning and can start eating on my own a bit. Wish me luck!

Before I sign off, I'll leave you with a couple of pictures from our weekend...

We spent a lot of time outside with Loki, enjoying the moderate temperature...

but we also played with some of our Yule gifts. Here's Beren learning how to make candles...

and me whipping up a batch of Pizzelle cookies...yummy! And at only about 60 calories per cookie, I didn't feel guilty having just one.

then on to a fabulous dinner at the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine. Yes, I indulged in champagne, bread dipped in olive oil, and the most incredible entree I've eaten in a long time: Cashew Crusted Salmon Sriracha. But - I only ate half. Moderation, right?

Off to my JC consult and then to the office, hope you all have a Beauty-Full Day!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

I hope everyone had a festive (yet safe) New Year's Eve! Beren and I had planned to go out, wanted to attend a big Main Street party in Daytona. We'd already decided to take a cab to and fro, not taking any chances with drinking & driving, no matter how much (or little) we chose to imbibe. However, after a couple of drinks with friends early in the evening, we came home, ate dinner and got cuddled up on the couch..one thing led to another and we decided that staying home would be much more fun. *wink* So we lit the fire pit on the patio, donned our Snuggies and listened to the neighborhood fireworks. We were in bed before midnight, actually set the alarm so that I could wake up and call my kids to wish them a happy new year! I'm such a lightweight nowadays.

So, today's the day we start afresh, right? Put aside the holiday gluttony, get back on our diets or start new ones. We make our resolutions, dust off our sneakers, stock up on veggies and start the new year with renewed dedication. I saw evidence of this already; stopping by Wal-Mart on the way into town Thursday night, I witnessed a middle-aged couple near the exercise equipment. She, considerably overweight, was showing her average-sized mate some ankle weights she was considering. A quick glance at her shopping cart revealed running shoes, a food scale, bag of salad, etc., all telltale signs of a new dieter. Laughing and joking, she looked motivated and excited about her new plan, and I found myself smiling and rooting for her. I hope she meets her goal!

As for myself, I haven't stayed On Program 100% the past week, have nibbled a cookie here, sipped an extra glass of wine there..ate "normally" on Christmas Eve and Day..and though I haven't lost any weight, I haven't gained either. I'm really pleased about that, feel like I was able to enjoy the "feasting" part of the holidays without going overboard, and am ready to get back on track today. No guilt, no remorse, no squeezing into too-tight clothes thanks to overindulgences. (In fact, I bought a couple of new tops yesterday, both Medium, and Beren actually said one of them looks too big on me!) All in all, I think I did really well dieting during this time of year, am giving myself a little pat on the back. *smile*

Now, onward, as my friend Misunderstood would say! Not one to make resolutions per se, I do like to reflect on the past year, good and bad, and state my intentions for the coming year. Here are the things I intend to do in 2011, health-wise:

*Continue with Jenny Craig, reach my official goal weight (20 more pounds) and perhaps drop another 5 pounds below that. We'll see how I look & feel when I get there.

*Maintenance. This one's going to be tough, I know it, as I can't slip back into old habits and gain the weight back. I've worked too damned hard to lose it! No backsliding.

*Exercise more. I've been slacking on the treadmill the past couple of weeks and need to make that a regular routine again, at least 5 days a week. I started to up my time from 30 to 40 minutes, would like to increase that to 45 minutes this year.

*Cook more, and better. That's the one thing I've really missed about being on Jenny, the cooking. I miss the creative process as well as nourishing the people I love. Oh, I still prepare a meal here & there for Beren and the kids but not to the degree I used to. As much as I love cooking, I want to dedicate more time and energy to it this year. Beren bought me a JC cookbook for Yule and said that he'd like to start eating "that way" (ie; healthier) which pleases me to no end!

*Create more. By this I mean artsy/crafty things and while that may not see to be about my health, it is. Big time. I have started crocheting again, picking up a lifetime hobby that I'd abandoned years ago. It is not only therapeutic and creative which is good for my soul, if I've got a crochet needle in my hand I can't eat! So while Beren's watching football or we're enjoying a tv show together, I sit & crochet, keeping my hands active doing something other than shoving food into my face! I have some other art projects in the works and as Kali said when she presented me with a new craft book for Yule, I have a Mom Cave now, no excuse not to get crafting!

*Make long overdue medical appointments. I recently went for my "lady doctor" visit and mammogram, almost a year late, and now need to schedule the dentist and routine physical. I haven't had a physical in several years, honestly hadn't wanted to step on the scale! Well, before my 47th Birthday I will reach goal and will happily hop on that doctor's scale when I do so. No excuses, I've got to take better care of my insides as well as the outside!

I think that's it. Basically I just plan to continue what I've been doing the past three months, and rev it up a little bit! I don't know about you guys, but I am looking forward to 2011 and what the year will bring! It's going to be a fabulous year, I can feel it!

So, what about you. What are your resolutions/intentions? How do you plan to take care of yourself over the next 12 months?

About Me

Pages

Food for Thought

"Surely the day will come when color means nothing more than the skin tone, when religion is seen uniquely as a way to speak one's soul, when birth places have the weight of a throw of the dice and all men are born free, when understanding breeds love and brotherhood."

"Beautiful? It's all a question of luck. I was born with good legs. As for the rest... beautiful, no. Amusing, yes."